Buddhism as Critical Lens

The Dharma Bums as Social Criticism

Abstract

Kerouac's Asian transcendence - identified as his critical Buddhism - offers alternatives to the status quo by which individuals can live, grow, and interact with society. Specifically, Kerouac's Buddhism exemplifies a crucial social deviance, in which he rejects the superficiality and "supervision" associated with television and the cultural denial of our more authentic selves.